Bolt having a lever-shaped bolt drive

ABSTRACT

A bar closure comprises a closure drive with a lever-shaped bar drive with at least one bar receptacle for a locking bar of the bar closure and with an optional rotary latch, wherein the bar receptacle is connected to the bar drive by means of an articulated arrangement. According to the invention, the bar receptacle has a clip device in which, or on which, the end of the bar can be inserted or fitted so as to catch.

The present application claims priority from PCT Patent Application No.PCT/EP2007/010669 filed on Dec. 8, 2007, which claims priority fromGerman Patent Application No. DE 20 2007 014 504.7 filed on Oct. 17,2007, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention is directed to a bar closure comprising a closure drivewith a lever-shaped bar drive with at least one bar receptacle for alocking bar of the bar closure and with an optional rotary latch,wherein the bar receptacle is connected to the bar drive by means of anarticulated arrangement.

2. Description of Related Art

A bar closure of the type mentioned above is already known from EuropeanPatent 0054225. As can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2 of the above-citedpatent, the bar closure disclosed therein comprises a door leaf fittingwhich has a bearing support for a drive shaft, a rotary latch beingarranged on this bearing support. The rotary latch has two oppositelyarranged arms which carry two bearing pins to which is fitted a roundbar provided with an opening at its end. A retaining ring preventssliding off so that when the sash-type latch is rotated into thefastening position shown in FIG. 2 the bars are pushed outward and, inso doing, engage back-engagement surfaces formed, for example, by thedoor frame, thereby securing the door leaf to this door frame.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The production and mounting of the closure in the above-cited patent isnot optimal for certain applications. It is the object of the inventionto provide an improved design which, in particular, facilitates mountingand which can also be produced in a simpler manner.

The above-stated object is met in that the bar receptacle has a clipdevice in which, or on which, the end of the bar can be inserted orfitted so as to catch.

By means of this catching, the bar is automatically secured in the barreceptacle so that a retaining ring for the same purpose need not beprovided. In many applications, it is sufficient when the bar receptacleand bar drive are injection molded from plastic because plastics withgreat inherent strength are currently commercially available and theclosing forces which can be achieved thereby are sufficient.

An embodiment example in which the articulated arrangement is formed bya film hinge is possible with the plastic material mentioned above.

This has the advantage that the bar drive and the bar receptacles can beinjection molded integral with one another, which simplifies productionenormously.

Alternatively, the bar receptacle can be made of plastic and the bardrive can be made of metal. In this case, an advisable arrangementconsists in that the articulated arrangement is formed by a metal pinwhich is formed or carried by the bar drive and which can be engaged ina clip-like manner by an axially slit hinge roller which is formed orcarried by the bar receptacle.

The hinge roller can be slit in a position extending perpendicular tothe bar axis. Alternatively, the hinge roller can also be slit in aposition lying in the bar axis.

The hinge roller advantageously forms, at the end of the slit, an axialstop for the pin because the possibility of losing the pin can beeliminated in this way.

An intermediate position (rotated by 45 degrees with respect to the baraxis) is also possible.

The articulated arrangement can comprise a connection part of flexibleplastic or rubber which can be received by clipping into a slit eyeletof the bar drive on one side and into a slit eyelet of the barreceptacle on the other side.

According to another embodiment form, the articulated arrangementcomprises a stud which is provided with an annular groove and whichproceeds from the lever end of the lever-shaped bar drive, a barreceptacle part provided with an eyelet can be fitted to this stud andcan be prevented from sliding off by spring legs which proceed from theeyelet and project into the annular groove. Mounting can be carried outfaster in this way.

According to another embodiment form, the spring legs are formed by ametal sleeve whose front edge has a plurality of notches to form thespring legs.

Alternatively, according to another embodiment form, the spring legs canbe spring legs which are formed integral with the injection-moldedplastic eyelet.

According to another embodiment form, the bar receptacle part forms ahollow space in which the free end of a rectangular bar can be inserted,this rectangular bar being provided at its end with an opening or recessin which a spring leg projecting into the hollow space can be receivedso as to lock the bar.

Alternatively, according to another embodiment form, the bar receptaclepart forms a hollow space in which the free end of a round bar can beinserted, which end can be received in a locking manner by a flat springdisk which is provided with an opening and which projects into thehollow space. In this case (claim 16), the bar receptacle part can havea lateral slit for the insertion of the flat spring disk.

On the other hand, according to another embodiment form, the barreceptacle part can be injection molded from plastic, and the flatspring disk can be surrounded by this plastic.

As in the prior art, the bar drive can form a double-lever, and a barreceptacle according to the invention can be arranged at both of itsends.

The bar drive can have a receptacle for a separately insertable,conventional latch tongue. This is already known, per se (see, forexample, page 2-151 of a catalog by DIRAK GmbH & Co. KG, KönigsfelderStr. 1, DE-58256, Ennepetal, Germany, entitled “Modular Hardware SystemsDIRAK—Handbuch 2007 Deutsch”. On the other hand, an embodiment form inwhich the bar drive has a latch tongue that is produced integral with itis conceivable.

The articulated arrangement can project over the bar drive and/or barreceptacle on at least one side, preferably on the side directed to thefastening surface for the closure, resulting in a greater extension forthe film hinge and, therefore, greater strength. Further, a desireddistance is maintained with respect to the fastening surface, forexample, a door leaf.

The bar drive can have a bar receptacle for a round bar with an eyeletor opening at the end. Alternatively, the bar drive can also have a barreceptacle for a flat bar with an eyelet or opening at the end.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A shows an exploded view of an embodiment form made from plasticwith film hinges for receiving two round bars;

FIG. 1B shows a perspective view of the arrangement according to FIG. 1Aafter insertion of the bars;

FIG. 2A shows a view corresponding to FIG. 1A of an embodiment form forflat bars;

FIG. 2B shows a corresponding view of the arrangement after fitting theflat bars;

FIG. 3A shows a perspective view of the three parts of an embodimentform made of metal and plastic;

FIG. 3B shows a top view of the arrangement according to FIG. 3A;

FIG. 3C shows the assembled arrangement in the closed position with barreceptacles pushed apart;

FIG. 3D shows a corresponding view of the position with the bars pulledin;

FIGS. 4A and 4B, and FIGS. 5A and 5B show corresponding views ofadditional embodiment forms;

FIGS. 6A and 6B show corresponding views of an additional embodimentform;

FIG. 6C shows an axial sectional view;

FIG. 6D shows a top view;

FIG. 7A shows an exploded view of a first embodiment form and anadditional embodiment form made of plastic with film hinges forreceiving round bars (right-hand side of drawing) or flat bars(left-hand side of drawing);

FIG. 7B shows a perspective view of the arrangement according to FIG. 7Aafter insertion of the bars;

FIGS. 8A and 8B show a top view and a sectional view of details of theround bar receptacle;

FIGS. 9A and 9B show corresponding views of details of the receptaclefor flat rectangular bars;

FIGS. 9C and 9D show corresponding views, but rotated by 90 degrees; and

FIGS. 9E and 9F show a perspective view and an exploded view of thereceptacle for flat bars.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

It is to be understood that the figures and descriptions of the presentinvention have been simplified to illustrate elements that are relevantfor a clear understanding of the present invention, while eliminating,for purposes of clarity, many other elements which are conventional inthis art. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that otherelements are desirable for implementing the present invention. However,because such elements are well known in the art, and because they do notfacilitate a better understanding of the present invention, a discussionof such elements is not provided herein.

The present invention will now be described in detail on the basis ofexemplary embodiments.

FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of the drive area of a bar closure 10comprising a closure drive 12 with a lever-shaped bar drive 14 and withat least one, in this case two, bar receptacles 16 for a locking bar 18of the bar closure 10 and with an optional rotary latch 20, wherein thebar receptacle 16 is connected to the bar drive 14 by an articulatedarrangement 22. As is shown in FIG. 1B, the bar receptacle 16 has a clipdevice 24. In the embodiment form shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the barreceptacle 16 and the bar drive 14 are injection molded from plastic.This makes it possible to realize the articulated arrangement by meansof a film hinge 26 in which the flexibility of the hinge is madepossible by a thin connecting film.

The tongue or the rotary latch 20 can be injection molded integral withthe bar drive 14, but in this case is shown as a separate part 20 whichcan be received by positive engagement in a corresponding recess 28 ofthe bar drive 14 and secured by a screw 30 which can be screwed into adrive shaft 32 at the front by means of a corresponding threaded borehole. The drive shaft 32 is rotatable (e.g., by 90°) in a closurehousing 34 which can be mounted in turn in a thin wall such as a sheetmetal cabinet door 36, for example, by means of a union nut 38. Thedrive shaft 32 has a square end on which a square opening of the bardrive 14 can be inserted. In a corresponding manner, a tongue 20 isprovided with a square opening by which the sash-type tongue 20 can befitted to the shaft 32 so as to be rigid with respect to rotationrelative to it and is then held in position by the nut 30. The driveshaft 32 is driven, for example, by a socket wrench which can be appliedto the other end 40 of the drive shaft 32 from the outside.

The bar drive 14 has a nose 42 which, instead of the nose 44 of therotary latch 20, engages with a corresponding recess surface 46 of thehousing end 34 and limits the rotational path of the bar drive 14 (e.g.,to 90 degrees).

The nose 44 of the tongue 20 is received by a corresponding recess 48 inthe drive disk 14.

The round bar 18 is secured axially by a pin or projection 50 which isguided through a corresponding opening in the pressed-flat end of theround bar 18 when the round bar 18 is in the clipped-in position shownin FIG. 1B.

FIGS. 2A and 2B show a construction which is similar to that of FIGS. 1Aand 1B, but is provided for flat bars 118. In this case, four noses 54hold the ribbon bar 118 in the holder or receptacle 116.

In the embodiment form according to FIGS. 3A and 3B, the bar receptacle216 is made of plastic, while the bar drive 214 is made of metal. Thebar drive 214 comprises a metal pin 56 which can be grasped in aclip-like manner by an axially slit hinge roller which is formed orcarried by the bar receptacle.

FIGS. 3C and 3D show the mounted position. FIG. 3C shows the position inwhich the two locking bars, not shown, are pushed apart, while FIG. 3Dshows the position in which the bar drive 214 is in the other positionin which the two bars are pulled together.

FIGS. 4A and 4B show an embodiment form which is similar to FIGS. 3A to3D, but in which the hinge roller 358 is shaped differently. While thehinge roller 58 is slit in a position perpendicular to the bar axis inthe embodiment form according to FIGS. 3A to 3D, the position shown inFIGS. 4A and 4B is displaced by 45 degrees. In FIGS. 5A and 5B, thehinge roller 458 extends in such a way that it is slit in a positionlying in the bar axis.

The embodiment forms according to FIGS. 2A, 2B, FIGS. 3A to 3D and FIGS.4A to 4D are suitable for flat bars 118, while FIGS. 5A and 5B show anembodiment form which is suitable for round bars. In this case, however,the bar receptacles 16, 116, 216, 316, 416 are injection molded fromplastic.

FIGS. 6A and 6B show an embodiment form in which the drive 514 is madeof metal and the bar receptacle 516 is made of plastic. The articulatedarrangement 522 comprises a connection part 60 of flexible plastic orrubber which can be clipped into a slit eyelet 558 of the bar receptacle516 on one side and into a correspondingly slit eyelet 62 of the bardrive 514 on the other side.

FIG. 6D shows a top view of the embodiment form in the assembled state,while FIG. 6C shows a sectional view along section line 6C-6C of FIG.6D.

In all of the embodiment forms, the articulated arrangement 22, 522projects over the bar drive 14, 514 and/or the bar receptacle 16, 516 onat least one side, preferably on the side facing the fastening surface36.

FIG. 7A is an exploded view showing a first embodiment form and anotherembodiment form made of plastic with film hinges for receiving roundbars (right-hand side of the drawing) or flat bars (left-hand side ofthe drawing), while FIG. 7B is a perspective view showing thearrangement according to FIG. 7A after insertion of the bars. FIGS. 8Aand 8B show a top view and a sectional view of details of the round barreceptacle.

According to the other embodiment form in FIGS. 8A to 9F, thearticulated arrangement 1622, 1722 comprises a stud 66 which is providedwith an annular groove 64 and which proceeds from the lever end of thelever-shaped bar drive 1614, 1714. A bar receptacle part 1616, 1716provided with eyelet 68 can be fitted to the stud 66 and is preventedfrom sliding off by spring legs 70 which proceed from the eyelet 68 andproject into the annular groove 64. Mounting can be carried out fasterin this way.

The spring legs 70 can be formed by a metal sleeve, one of whose frontedges has a plurality of notches to form the spring legs.

Alternatively, the spring legs 70 can be spring legs emerging from aplastic injection-molded eyelet 68 so as to be integral therewith.

According to FIGS. 9A to 9F, the bar receptacle part 1716 forms a hollowspace 72 in which the free end of a rectangular bar 1711 can beinserted, this rectangular bar 1711 being provided at its end with anopening 74 or recess in which a spring leg 76 projecting into the hollowspace 72 can be received so as to lock the bar 1711.

Alternatively, according to FIGS. 8A and 8B, the bar receptacle part1616 forms a hollow space in which the free end of a round bar 1618 canbe inserted, which end can be received in a locking manner by a flatspring disk 78 (see also FIG. 7A) which is provided with an opening andwhich projects into the hollow space. In this case, the bar receptaclepart 1616 can have a lateral slit 80 for the insertion of the flatspring disk 78.

On the other hand, the bar receptacle part (particularly if it should beinjection molded from plastic) can be constructed in such a way that theflat spring disk is surrounded by this plastic and, as such, fixedlyanchored therein.

The advantage of the embodiment form for round bars consists in that thebar requires no special shape at the end such as a pressed-flat end, forexample, according to FIG. 1A, with an opening (i.e., the bar can beshortened in place).

Commercial Applicability:

The invention is commercially applicable in switch cabinet construction.

While this invention has been described in conjunction with the specificembodiments outlined above, it is evident that many alternatives,modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in theart. Accordingly, the preferred embodiments of the invention as setforth above are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Variouschanges may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of theinventions as defined in the following claims.

REFERENCE NUMBERS:

10 closure

12 closure drive

14, 214, 514, 1614, 1724 bar drive

16, 116, 216, 516, 1616, 1716 bar receptacle

18, 118 bar

20 rotary latch, tongue

22, 522, 1622 articulated arrangement

24, 1624, 1724 clip device

26 thin film, film hinge

28 recess

30 screw

32 drive shaft

34 closure housing

36 wall, fastening surface

38 union nut

40 other end

42 nose

44 nose

46 recess

48 recess

50 pin, projection

52 opening

54 nose

56 metal pin

58, 358, 458, 558 hinge roller, eyelet

60 connection part

62 slit eyelet

64 annular groove

66 stud

68 eyelet

70 spring legs

72 hollow space

74 opening

76 spring leg

78 flat spring disk

80 slit

1. Bar closure comprising a closure drive (12) with a lever-shaped bardrive (14) (14) with at least one bar receptacle (16) for a locking bar(18) of the bar closure (10) and with an optional rotary latch (20),wherein the bar receptacle (16) is connected to the bar drive (14) bymeans of an articulated arrangement (22), characterized in that the barreceptacle (16) has a clip device (24) in which, or on which, the end ofthe bar (18) can be inserted or fitted so as to catch.
 2. Bar closureaccording to claim 1, characterized in that the bar receptacle (16) andbar drive (14) are injection molded from plastic.
 3. Bar closureaccording to claim 2, characterized in that the articulated arrangement(22) is formed by a film hinge (26).
 4. Bar closure according to claim1, characterized in that the bar receptacle (16) is made of plastic andthe bar drive (14) is made of metal.
 5. Bar closure according to claim4, characterized in that the articulated arrangement (22) is formed by ametal pin (56) which is formed or carried by the bar drive (214) andwhich can be engaged in a clip-like manner by an axially slit hingeroller (58, 358, 458) which is formed or carried by the bar receptacle(216, 316, 416).
 6. Bar closure according to claim 5, characterized inthat the hinge roller (58) is slit in a position which is offset by 45degrees relative to the bar axis.
 7. Bar closure according to claim 5,characterized in that the hinge roller (358) is slit in a positionperpendicular to the bar axis.
 8. Bar closure according to claim 5,characterized in that in that the hinge roller (458) is slit in aposition lying in the bar axis.
 9. Bar closure according to claim 6, 7or 8, characterized in that the hinge roller forms, at the end of theslit, an axial stop for the pin.
 10. Bar closure according to claim 2,characterized in that the articulated arrangement (22) comprises aconnection part (60) of flexible plastic or rubber which can be receivedby clipping into a slit eyelet (62) of the bar drive (514) on one sideand into a slit eyelet (558) of the bar receptacle (516) on the otherside.
 11. Bar closure according to claim 1, characterized in that thearticulated arrangement (1622) comprises a stud which is provided withan annular groove and which proceeds from the lever end of thelever-shaped bar drive, and a bar receptacle part provided with aneyelet can be fitted thereto and prevented from sliding off by springlegs which proceed from the eyelet and project into the annular groove.12. Bar closure according to claim 11, characterized in that the springleg is formed by a metal sleeve whose front edge has a plurality ofnotches to form the spring legs.
 13. Bar closure according to claim 11,characterized in that the spring legs are spring legs which are formedintegral with the injection-molded plastic eyelet.
 14. Bar closureaccording to claim 11, 12 or 13, characterized in that the barreceptacle part (1716) forms a hollow space in which the free end of arectangular bar can be inserted, this rectangular bar being provided atits end with an opening or recess in which a spring leg projecting intothe hollow space can be received so as to lock the bar.
 15. Bar closureaccording to claim 11, 12 or 13, characterized in that the barreceptacle part (1616) forms a hollow space in which the free end of around bar can be inserted, which end can be received in a locking mannerby a flat spring disk which is provided with an opening and whichprojects into the hollow space.
 16. Bar closure according to claim 15,characterized in that the bar receptacle part has a lateral slit for theinsertion of the flat spring disk.
 17. Bar closure according to claim15, characterized in that the bar receptacle part is injection moldedfrom plastic, and the flat spring disk is surrounded by this plastic.18. Bar closure according to one of claims 1 to 17, characterized inthat the bar drive (14) forms a double-lever, and a bar receptacle (16)is arranged at both of its ends.
 19. Bar closure according to one ofclaims 1 to 12, characterized in that the bar drive (14) has areceptacle (28) for a separately insertable, conventional latch tongue(20).
 20. Bar closure according to one of claims 1 to 18, characterizedin that the bar drive has a latch tongue that is produced integral withit.
 21. Bar closure according to one of claims 1 to 20, characterized inthat the articulated arrangement (22, 522, 1722) projects over the bardrive (14, 514) and/or the bar receptacle (16, 516, 1716) on at leastone side, preferably on the side directed to the fastening surface (36)for the closure (10).
 22. Bar closure according to one of claims 1 to14, characterized in that the bar drive (14, 514) has a bar receptacle(16, 516) for a round bar (18) with an eyelet or opening (52) at theend.
 23. Bar closure according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterizedin that the bar drive has a bar receptacle (116) for a flat bar (118)with an eyelet or opening (152) at the end.